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Viasat Inc. and fuboTV, a sports
and news-focused live TV streaming service, announced a
video streaming distribution and technology partnership
that advances how content can be delivered and consumed
in-flight. The partnership is the first to leverage
innovative technology standards from the global
technical association, the Streaming Video Alliance (the
Alliance), and apply them to in-flight connectivity.
These standards enable airlines that sign-up for the
Viasat/fuboTV partnership to seamlessly make fuboTV's
live streaming premium over-the-top (OTT) and video
on-demand (VOD) sports, entertainment and news
programming available to all passengers—at no charge—on
U.S. flights equipped with Viasat satellite internet.

Technology breakthrough drives
higher quality in-flight streaming

As the first to implement the open
caching specifications of the Streaming Video Alliance
in-flight, Viasat and fuboTV are using multicast
techniques to deliver live OTT and VOD content at-scale.
Specifically, the companies have implemented the
Alliance specifications over Viasat's capacity-rich
network, to optimize video delivery of fuboTV's live TV
streaming service, including their free linear channel,
fubo Sports Network. This technology optimization
provides for more reliable live and VOD streaming with
faster web page downloads and enhanced video streaming
image quality—on any personal device connected to the
Viasat network.

Passengers benefit with access to
premium content at no charge

Participating airlines that choose
to take advantage of the Viasat/fuboTV technology
partnership will be able to give their
passengers—whether fuboTV subscribers or not—free access
to fubo Sports Network. Current fuboTV subscribers, and
passengers that sign-up for a free seven day trial of
fuboTV when in-flight, will be able to enjoy live and
VOD content for the duration of their flight, including:

"We're focused on delivering the
best live TV and sports streaming service to our
customers—anywhere, and now that includes at 35,000
feet," said Cristina Arango, director of strategic
partnerships, fuboTV. "Streaming live television is
complex, and fuboTV prides itself on our
internally-built tech stack that allows us to bring a
stable experience to our subscribers. That's why it was
critical for us to work with a proven technology partner
like Viasat to enable fuboTV to be one of the first live
streaming services to expand distribution to the U.S.
aviation market. We are excited to offer both fuboTV and
fubo Sports Network without the need to purchase an
in-flight Wi-Fi package, to millions of passengers every
month—which is an untapped environment for us."

"We aim to lead the way in creating
differentiated in-flight, online entertainment
experiences and digital OTT provides the features,
convenience and choice that passengers love when they're
on the ground," said Don Buchman, vice president and
general manager, Commercial Aviation, Viasat. "We're
working with airlines to explore and develop new and
innovative technology tools and business models that
align with their brand and their interest in engaging
more passengers with in-flight Wi-Fi at the lowest cost.
Our partnership with fuboTV uses state-of-the-art
technology to leverage our bandwidth advantage even
further to offer reliable, high quality OTT, live or
on-demand, as efficiently as possible."

Jason Thibeault, executive
director, Streaming Video Alliance commented, "It is
exciting to see two innovators, like Viasat and fuboTV,
build an offering using next-generation streaming
technologies like our Open Caching specifications to
improve the video experience for passengers in-flight.
Viasat has contributed significantly to the Alliance's
work in Open Caching and other working groups, which has
furthered the Alliance's progress in helping the
streaming industry to improve scalability, delivery
consistency and reliability of OTT services."